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Share of the Week: Ghost of Yōtei – LandscapesLast week, we asked you to share beautiful landscapes in Ghost of Yōtei using #PSshare #PSBlog. Here are this week’s highlights: ForgottenJasmin shares a forest of red-leaved trees framing a castle fortress SheikhSadi80 shares a sea cliffside view DeathStalker131 shares a mountain shrine view valeria_ame shares horses running past Mount Yōtei at sunset call_me_xavii […]
Oct 24
Mouseward Announced
Developer Finite Reflection Studios announced Soulslike RPG Mouseward . The title, billed as taking inspiration from 3D Nintendo 64 adventure games, is being developed for PC and available to wishlist on Steam . An early build of the game is also available on itch.io .
Mouseward takes place in a kingdom ravaged following a starfall that came with celestial fragments, which warp the world and revive the dead. It follows a royal mouse guard brought back to life and tasked with collecting celestial fragments scattered through the kingdom. His perilous journey takes him to rat castles and foggy forests filled with hidden passages, cryptic clues, and environmental puzzles. The real-time combat requires players to manage their stamina while timing their parries, dodges, and strikes against corrupted foes. Players can customise their playstyle with a variety of weapons, armor sets, and arcane abilities.
The post Mouseward Announced appeared first on RPGamer .
Oct 24
Roguelike Deckbuilder Talespinner Gets Demo
Publisher Kwalee and developer Flash Cat Games have announced a demo for roguelike deckbuilder Talespinner . The new demo is available to try out on PC via Steam . The demo includes one playable character and lets players experience the beginning of the game’s story. It lets players choose between two narrative paths that take them into the Bamboo Forests or the Rice Fields. It also includes twenty-four random events and access to over fifty companions, plus two twists designed for hardcore players.
Talespinner sees players guide their chosen hero through an adventure inspired by Japanese mythology, with the narrative shaped by their decisions and deck construction. The game is planned to feature three playable characters and three distinct scenarios with over two-hundred battle cards, over fifty enemy types, sixteen bosses, and eight biomes.
The post Roguelike Deckbuilder Talespinner Gets Demo appeared first on RPGamer .
Oct 24
New Dissidia Duellum Final Fantasy Trailers Show Cloud, Rinoa, Terra, and Krile
Square Enix is gradually sharing videos of Dissidia Duellum Final Fantasy characters on social media ahead of launch, and the next four focus on Krile from FFV, Terra from FFVI , Cloud from FFVII, Rinoa from FFVIII . This means the latest round of footage features a mix of Melee, Ranged, and Support footage. All of the gameplay teasers show the characters in their traditional costumes.
Krile is a Support-type character in the game. She will be the youngest character in the game at launch. The post accompanying the teaser noted she can increase the Bravery of others in the party to ensure their attacks hit harder. That footage also shows her using the Legend of the Deep Forest UR Ability.
https://twitter.com/DDFF_EN/status/1980833995496583383
Meanwhile, Terra is one of two Ranged DPS Dissidia Duellum Final Fantasy characters to come up in the latest announcements. We see her first use Tornado, then the UR Riot Blade Ability in her video .
https://twitter.com/DDFF_EN/status/1980924588038176914
Cloud is the lone Melee DPS in this Dissidia Duellum Final Fantasy announcement batch. His video starts with him using Ascension, before then using the SR Sprint Ability. That’s followed up with an SR Finishing Touch attack.
https://twitter.com/DDFF_EN/status/1981196379423715488
Finally, Rinoa is the second Ranged DPS in this batch of Dissidia Duellum Final Fantasy videos . That clip begins with her using the Sorceress’ Leap move to close the distance between her and an opponent. Once close, she uses the R Frigid Rain Ability to attack. The next segment shows her using the UR Meteor Ability against enemies.
https://twitter.com/DDFF_EN/status/1981286976209744374
Right now, Square Enix seems to be sharing these clips at a rate of two per day. The Warrior of Light from FFI and Kain from FFIV already showed up online .
Dissidia Duellum Final Fantasy will come to Android and iOS devices in 2026, with the closed Android beta test taking place between November 7-14, 2025 .
The post New Dissidia Duellum Final Fantasy Trailers Show Cloud, Rinoa, Terra, and Krile appeared first on Siliconera .
Oct 23
Chucklefish Witchbrook Life Sim Delayed
Chucklefish announced that Witchbrook , the life sim about attending a school to learn magic, is delayed and won’t launch in 2025. Its new release window is 2026. The developer also noted that it is investigating additional platforms aside from the already announced Switch and PC versions. It also shared the game’s map online.
Witchbrook has been in development at Chucklefish since March 2018 . Following that initial reveal, the developer took it slow and sparingly released screenshots and updates in 2020 and 2021 . In 2022, the product page debuted on Steam . It also noted in 2023 that the pacing was due to them shooting for no crunch. March 2025 is when the Winter 2025 release window finally came up, with a major trailer appearing during a Nintendo Direct . When discussing this delay, the developer noted a desire to ensure overall quality, more possible platforms, and maybe additional localizations. It also noted there will be updates on avatars and the world before 2025 ends.
As for the Witchbrook Mossport map, that is on a dedicated site . Chucklefish confirmed that any area that is in color and not sepia-toned is a place we will be able to visit. It is possible to zoom in and out. There are also a few point of interest icons that include details and screenshots about specific places and attractions, such as Arcane Arts, Lecture Theatre, North Hallway, Shadhollow Forest, Tea-Making Class, and Witchbrook College.
Witchbrook is in development for the Switch and PC, and its release date is delayed out of 2025 into 2026.
The post Chucklefish Witchbrook Life Sim Delayed appeared first on Siliconera .
Oct 15
Prop Haunt – PreviewRight in time for spooky season, we’re looking at Prop Haunt, a 4v1 multiplayer horror game by indie studio Silent Forest Games. Currently in Early Access, this horror experience leans more into the casual side, with four players taking the role of ghosts that haunt a building. The last player is a paranormal investigator who must evade the ghosts’ tricks and eliminate them all before they take over. It’s simple, but a lot of fun, especially if you can get some friends along for the journey. Settle in on a cold autumn night, and let’s see what kind of mischief we can get up to. Prop Haunt immediately charms with the straightforwardness of the setup, needing little in explanation of narrative or lore. A building is haunted by ghosts, and it’s the investigator’s job to exorcise them. If they don’t, the ghosts can gather up enough power to destroy full rooms and even pierce the veil between the living and the dead. And we probably don’t need to tell you why that has to be avoided. Overall, the game looks good, if a little bit rough around the edges. We can tell that Prop Haunt was made with downloaded assets. Still, they’re all utilized well to make for visually interesting rooms, with multiple maps allowing for some variety in the settings you get to haunt or investigate. Similarly, the user interface feels a little clunky to us, with the amount of text on screen and the constant button prompts. However, putting these small design flaws aside, the game’s graphics are nicely put together for somebody’s first official project. We feel similar about the music and sound effects. They’re far from terrible, but seem to mainly consist of stock audio. Nothing terrible about that, and some of the music was actually pretty dang good. The game encourages sitting in VC for proper communication between the ghosts that are working together, though the investigator is on their own for the run of the match. As mentioned, Prop Haunt is a 4v1 multiplayer horror game with pretty simplistic mechanics and more of a party game vibe, though that doesn’t mean there are no scares lurking around the corner. The game will be vastly different, depending on whether you’re playing as a ghost or the investigator. The ghosts work in a team of up to four players, though you can also play the game with one ghost and one investigator if you want a hard challenge. But due to difficulty scaling, we recommend making sure your ghost team consists of at least two players. As a ghost, you can move around the building into different rooms and haunt items. The nature of the haunting can differ, and you have free rein on what objects to haunt. Haunting items without being caught will allow you to increase your power, eventually leading to more tricks you can pull. A lot of these tricks will further impede the investigator’s progress. You can cut out their power, for example, or cause technical failures that prevent the investigator from catching ghosts. You can even jumpscare the poor guy if you’re feeling evil. While the ghosts do outnumber the investigator, being subtle and working together is still key, since the investigator can easily win by wiping all the ghosts out near the start of the game. Meanwhile, the ghosts need to bide their time, building up enough power through hauntings to destroy entire rooms. If they destroy enough rooms, they win the match. If you’re playing as the investigator, it’s your job to keep an eye on the cameras, cycle through different rooms, and catch ghosts in the act. The quicker you can catch them, the more you can prevent them from gathering their powers. But as the match progresses and the ghosts become stronger, they can start messing with you more. Sometimes, they even force you to get up from your desk and move around, which suddenly transforms the game into a more classic first-person horror. The game is obviously more tense and scary when you play as the investigator, but we recommend playing the game in either position at least once to see what you like more. It’s definitely a good time whichever one you pick. Conclusion Prop Haunt is relatively new on the scene of multiplayer horror, but we personally found it a nice change of pace compared to other games in the genre. We think it’s more fun playing this with friends and not strangers, as the rivalry between the investigator and ghosts is best experienced that way. But for an Early Access game, this already offers a lot, and we’re excited to see what more will be added.
Oct 13
Nice Day for Fishing Physical Release Landing in November
Silver Lining Interactive announced that it will be releasing a physical edition of FusionPlay and Team17 Digital's fishing RPG Nice Day for Fishing . The physical edition will release for PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch on November 21, 2025. It is available to pre-order now through Silver Lining's online store for £34.99, as well as selected local retailers.
Nice Day for Fishing released digitally for PC, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch earlier this year. The game is a licenced title based on the Viva La Dirt League sketch group’s Epic NPC Man series. Players control the fisherman Baelin, who must defend the town of Honeywood through the only profession he knows after the world’s adventurers go missing. The game sees players engage in fishing battles to fulfil quests, grow stronger, and gain new spells and equipment. Players need to equip the right bait and time their attacks to succeed. Baeilin will travel through the Honeywood forest to the Azerim coast on his adventure, while finding resources that can be used to rebuild Honeywood to its former glory.
The post Nice Day for Fishing Physical Release Landing in November appeared first on RPGamer .
Oct 9
Fractured Worlds Playtest Underway
Developer Laser Guided Games is holding a playtest for its upcoming action RPG Fractured Worlds . Those wishing to take part in the playtest can request access via Steam and the Epic Games Store . The playtest, which allows players to play through a part of the game, features online co-op, procedurally generated dungeons, dozens of skills, and boss encounters.
Fractured Worlds is set in a dark fantasy world where a cataclysm fragmented reality into multiple realms. Players are tasked with exploring these realms and uncovering the truth behind the fractured state of the world. The classless progression lets players wield different types of weapons, each with their own weight, speed, and moveset. Exploration takes players to procedurally generated environments such as medieval dungeons, enchanted forests, and futuristic industrial cities. Players can share map shards with each other, which allows co-op gameplay in dungeons with random modifiers, riches, and encounters. Fractured Worlds is expected to release in 2026 for PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store.
The post Fractured Worlds Playtest Underway appeared first on RPGamer .
Oct 5
Pokemon TCG: The Best Mega Evolution Cards
You’ll never guess what the new Pokemon Trading Card Game expansion, Mega Evolution , adds to the game!
Okay, yes, you will.
But nevertheless, Mega Evolutions haven’t been in the TCG since the Sun & Moon days, so what’s changed and how do they fit into today’s game ? (Also, do any of them have really cool art?) We’ll answer these tough questions.
The coolest Pokemon Trading Card Game Mega Evolution cards
Perhaps most notable are the Mega Evolutions themselves , since in addition to being the marketing focus, they also work differently from before in Pokemon Trading Card Game . In their last iteration, they were extra evolutions, placed atop existing EX creatures and requiring you to end your turn unless you had a workaround. Now, they’re just a version of that creature. Kangaskhan is a Basic? Mega Kangaskhan ex is also a basic. Lucario’s a Stage 1 that evolves from Riolu? Then so’s Mega Lucario ex. Along with this, they’re now three-prize creatures, retaining a bit of risk in exchange for the easier play.
There are ten Mega cards in this set, one for each energy type, and most of them do something interesting. For example, the new Venusaur brings back its ability from the Base Set, allowing you to move grass energy around at will. Mega Gardevoir can both load up other creatures with energy and attack using them, making it a powerful force once again for another generation of TCG players.
Photo by Siliconera
The most interesting Pokemon TCG Mega Evolution cards
There’s a suite of ability creatures that might be situationally useful. Shuckle needs one energy attached to work, but it can heal for 30 every turn. Ninjask ’s Cast-Off Shell gets you a Shedinja directly into play, which has its own use as a zero-prize blocker. Cinderace is probably too much of a risk for high-level play, but if it’s in your opening hand, it can be played directly and has a tempting one-energy attack. Garganacl powers up Fighting types, but it’s a lot to play to do it.
As the start of a new “series” for the TCG, Mega Evolution brings with it a refresh of some elements and accessories. For example, the Elite Trainer Box now has a recycled plastic insert to hold things more securely, a larger coin, and even new damage dice that help usability a bit by making the “100” side stand out. The new energy designs are fairly tame and inoffensive, and it looks like a standard alternate treatment for all the Megas will be a silhouette of their normal form in the background.
Photo by Siliconera
The most meta-relevant Mega Evolution cards
Meganium is a project to get into play as a Stage 2, but its Wild Growth ability doubles all grass energy and could be a big part of any decks featuring that type. There are probably also some Megas that will break through. Mega Lucario ex and Mega Gardevoir ex seem like strong candidates, with both setup and sweeper moves. Mega Kangaskhan ex might also, with its card draw and no need for colored energy, but you better have some trainers ready to switch it out.
We’re talking a lot about evolutions, so it’s a given that the reprint of Rare Candy will remain a factor in high-speed pro play. In fact, given that it’s a new series, a lot of the Trainer selection is staple reprints, leaving little room for new stuff. Still, there seems to be a focus on single-type-boosting Stadium cards , like the quick-evolve Forest of Vitality for grass or the card draw of Mystery Garden for psychic. There’s a chance one of these breaks through alongside a meta-defining sweeper.
The cutest Mega Evolution cards
The pickings are maybe a bit slimmer than we’d like in this expansion, but we still have some selections! Vulpix , Stufful and Pachirisu frolicking about are no-brainers, for sure, but they work better than usual with a softer aesthetic. Buneary is probably the most obvious, as its design looks like something the company would print on flowery accessories.
There are also a few nice illustration rares . Vulpix again? Yeah, Vulpix again. Also a Stufful that has absolutely wrecked someone’s bedroom. And we’re not sure what’s going on with the full art Lt. Surge’s Bargain , but we like it!
The latest Pokemon Trading Card Game expansion, Mega Evolution , launched on September 26, 2025 and is out now . For more coverage of the Pokemon TCG, check out our archive .
The post Pokemon TCG: The Best Mega Evolution Cards appeared first on Siliconera .
Oct 4
Heart Of The Forest Is A New Interactive Horror Game Coming To PS5 In Q1 2026Interactive Horror game Heart of the Forest is coming to PS5 in Q1 2026. Get more details from Wales Interactive here.
The post Heart Of The Forest Is A New Interactive Horror Game Coming To PS5 In Q1 2026 appeared first on PlayStation Universe .
Oct 2
How To Get Obsidiron Ingot In 99 Nights in the Forest?
99 Nights in the Forest is on of the best survival experiences in Roblox, because it constantly challanges you to gather resources and craft essential items in the game. Since the introduction of the Meteor Shower in game, we have decided to make a small guide on how we get Obsidiron Ingots in 99 Night […]
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
Sep 30
Super Robot Wars Y Review
Lady Zechs, Where Are My Keys?!
I have been in a twenty-year relationship with a giant robot nerd. Over the course of our relationship, my husband has spent a large amount of time building my giant robot franchise knowledge, from the seventies classics to the current crop of new shows that have plenty to offer. I've watched him play multiple Super Robot Wars games, complaining in the background as to why he wasn’t using some of my favourite characters, or why JAM Project's "Heats" from Shin Getter Robo wasn't playing on repeat. It was to his surprise that he found me on the couch with a PlayStation 5, a copy of Super Robot Wars Y , and an intense, newfound addiction. That's right — I became addicted to Super Robot Wars Y , and I've learned the joys of smashing the robot toys together in what I believe are plotlines made up by children as a way for all these franchises to come together and create epic crossovers.
Super Robot Wars Y begins with the player selecting between a male or female protagonist who is a member of a stealthy organization known as NINJA, which stands for New Infinity Neuron Japanese Assassin. They are tasked with protecting Echika, a wealthy young girl who, on her fourteenth birthday, learns that she is the official leader of the A. Advent, a mobile city-state. With her new bodyguard and crew in tow, Echika and her comrades must handle potential invasions from nefarious world organizations, kaiju attacks, and more. Along their journey, they meet and recruit fan favourite characters from popular anime franchises and thus begins this bonkers adventure.
Part of the joy that comes with Super Robot Wars Y is being able to see how all the different characters from various franchises interact with one another. With twenty-plus series being represented, some for the first time, there are tons of fun and hilarious story beats throughout the game, such as adults wanting a break from the younger protagonists. Then all hell breaks loose, to the excitement of a pop concert being invaded by enemy forces. Nothing in Y ever feels normal, with every bit of the game's fifty-plus hour story maintaining its high Saturday morning cartoon energy from start to finish. There is so much energy and vibrancy in this cast, with some of the best interactions coming from Takuma from Getter Robo Arc and Domon Kasshu from Mobile Fighter G Gundam . Even if one is unfamiliar with a franchise on screen, the game does a great job of providing a wealth of information about the stories and characters within it. While this reviewer wasn't familiar with Reideen the Brave or Combattler V , the game's battles provide so much storytelling that it will make one want to explore those series after turning the game off.
[caption id="attachment_166471" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Making her franchise debut... Suletta Mercury![/caption]
There are so many stories being told at once throughout the fifty-plus hours it takes to complete a playthrough. It creates a story whiplash, as every franchise and original character gets their own main stories and side stories that must be completed. However, the game blends different franchises, particularly if they already have a connection (such as Mazinger and Getter Robo Arc being created by Go Nagai), together fairly seamlessly. One of the more fun elements is seeing how all the Gundam pilots across franchises react and interact with newcomer Suletta Mercury from Witch from Mercury , especially given her hard-loving Golden Retriever vibes. Many of the franchises have similar themes across the board, such as the horrors of war, the apocalypse, and fighting for those who cannot protect themselves. Even the original characters for Y are all likeable, charming, and play nice with all of the other franchises. Where the story struggles is more based on a player's preference for a particular franchise, in this case a personal dislike for the storylines focused on Majestic Prince or Macross . One's mileage will vary, as some characters and plotlines are just more engaging than others.
What is notable to the Super Robot Wars franchise is the fact that a lot of the game's narrative is told during combat sequences, and Y is no different. While a lot of the story sequences are visually flat-looking with talking heads, the actual stories being told are interesting, with every story combat section having its own twists and turns, from different mustache-twirling villains appearing to new friendly units joining the fray. Part of the game's overall charm really boils down to the excitement of who is joining the team and the badass introduction they receive.
Battles are tactical affairs wherein the player places a number of units onto the battlefield. During combat, players will be able to move, attack, use spirit commands, and assist links. While moving and attacking are straightforward, spirit commands are skills possessed by each unit, which allow them to power up, heal, move faster, or dodge better. As the game progresses and pilots level up, they acquire more unique spirits, such as the ability to take more turns or supercharge themselves to have all the spirits bestowed upon them. Every unit has a set amount of spirit points, and managing them is crucial to how combat players out.
[caption id="attachment_166466" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Don't mess with Team Getter![/caption]
As units take out enemies, they fill an assist gauge and, depending on the number of points in that gauge, they can also summon support help during battle, including healing, extra damage output, or energy refills. A lot happens during combat that players need to be aware of, and while it may be overwhelming at first, once it all clicks, specific mech units begin to feel like wrecking balls, mowing down enemy grunts. Combatants also have morale, and as it increases, so does their damage output or, in the case of specific units, allows them to move into their Super Mode, allowing them to harness specific abilities that cannot be used initially. Once morale has hit its peak, battles become a glorious, chaotic charge, and watching the damage output go up is hugely satisfying.
That being said, there is a lot to manage during combat. Some missions will have players babysitting specific units, especially if the player likes to stick to the same few each battle. Therefore, it's important to bust out lower-level units to ensure that they level up and can stay alive when forced into action. Battle conditions can change on the fly, and players need to be able to adapt quickly, meaning having a good variety of long-range and close-combat units becomes important. During the enemy phase, players will need to endure onslaughts of foes, either using spirits to avoid taking a hit or trust in a unit's ability to tank them. There's a lot of risk and reward in Y 's battle system, and sometimes bad draws will occur. Still, part of what makes it so engaging is how unpredictable combat can be, and having to weigh one's options with a lot of thought and consideration.
Unit placement plays heavily into strategy, and one distinct element to the series is that certain moves can only be done while standing still, but often have a much larger range. Units like Heavyarms Custom from Gundum Wing benefit from being stationary, as its range is larger than other units. The other thing to consider is how many enemies a player can hit in an attack, and that's where Map Attacks shine. There is nothing more satisfying than blowing up multiple enemy units in one attack, but the downside is that Map Attacks require specific placement to even become available to the player. There is so much to consider during combat; rushing in is almost always a recipe for disaster, but playing too methodically has its drawbacks as well.
[caption id="attachment_166464" align="aligncenter" width="640"] V-V-V-Victorrrrrrrry![/caption]
There is an intermission phase after each mission where players can level up pilots with new skills or upgrade mechs to have more mobility, sight, and even weapon power. Upgrading units to certain points will also grant them additional passive skills. Unfortunately, there are a lot of menus to comb through, and overwhelmingly so. These menus also don't do a great job for newcomers in terms of understanding what a lot of the game's jargon is, and having to reference the glossary frequently is not great. Clicking through so many menus to find specific information, be in a unit's equipped spirits or basic statistics, is a cumbersome experience. It also doesn't help that buying skills and upgrades is very expensive, meaning the player will need to play through some of the skirmishes that are meant for grinding, unnecessarily adding to an already long runtime. There are a lot of parts and skills that feel superfluous, and trying to weigh their pros and cons due to the game's jargon is boring to say the least, when all one really wants to do is smash the toys together.
In keeping with the series, Super Robot Wars Y 's visuals are adequate, though it's clear the majority of the budget went to animating the attacks performed by the various mecha and super robots. These animations are stunning, rich with detail and colour, and do a great job of showing how absurd certain character attacks can be, such as Domon Kasshu and Rain from G Gundam performing Love Love Tenkyoden and having the dance animated while they yell the importance of both their love and how their hands are burning red. That being said, the still frame moments during the story portions are bland, with very minimal facial expressions, and while there are so many characters to keep track of, certain franchises look the same and uninspired. There are only a handful of different types of maps, such as space, mountain, and forest. There are only small changes to give them a bit of difference, likely in the form of a plot-related building, making them serviceable but uninteresting. In contrast, a lot of the robot spirits are distinct looking, meaning players won't get confused by who is who.
[caption id="attachment_166467" align="aligncenter" width="640"] SHIIIIIIIIIININNNNNG FINNNNNGER![/caption]
The game's soundtrack, however, is amazing. Not only are players treated to each unit's theme song, but the game's original music will have players rocking out and having a grand old time. Hearing "White Reflection" from Gundam Wing Endless Waltz while the Wing boys attack never gets old, while the cheeky 1970s-vibe Reideen and Combattler V theme songs are earworms that one will find oneself humming along to, even when least suspecting it. There is a fantastic mixture of theme songs, as well as more somber tunes for the game's more serious moments, and more upbeat and playful tracks when Y isn't taking itself too seriously. Listening to the game's soundtrack during all aspects, from combat to story, is easily one of the game's major highlights.
While there is absolutely more to gush about, the bottom line is that Super Robot Wars Y is a high-octane ride from start to finish. There's so much to love here in terms of the game's robust combat system, the excellent mixture of franchises that are both new and old, and a soundtrack that absolutely slaps. Having never previously played a Super Robot Wars game, I can confidently say that while there are a lot of systems and franchises to understand, once everything clicks, it becomes an addictive experience, making it great for newcomers. While not every franchise feels equal in its inclusion, I have been begging my husband to find ways for us to watch some of the shows I am less familiar with, thanks to their appearance in Y . Despite some flaws, Super Robot Wars Y is a complete joy to play, and it definitely has me wanting to explore more games in this long-running franchise.
Disclosure: This review is based on a free copy of the game provided by the publisher.
The post Super Robot Wars Y Review appeared first on RPGamer .
Sep 30
The Shocking True Event That Inspired 99 Nights in the Forest on Roblox
One of the most frequent questions in the Roblox community is whether 99 Nights in the Forest is based on a true story or not. The quick answer to this question is yes. It is based on a true story; however, some parts were changed for creative differentiation. That being said, your favorite horror title […]
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
Sep 27
Everything Announced During The Xbox Tokyo Game Show Broadcast
Xbox held a special broadcast for Tokyo Game Show headlined by the reveal of Forza Horizon 6. In case you missed the presentation, we’ve rounded up each announcement (in alphabetical order) for a quick recap of the event. 007 First Light Actress Gemma Chan (Crazy Rich Asians, Eternals, The Creator) is making her video game debut by joining the cast of IO Interactive’s upcoming James Bond game. Chan portrays Dr. Selina Tan, a tech expert and senior MI6 official who leads a training program for recruits. Age of Mythology: Retold - Heavenly Spear Age of Mythology Retold is getting a new expansion set in Japan. A fresh story told across 12 missions pits players against new gods and monsters, while also introducing new powers. Heavenly Spear launches on September 30 Aniimo First announced earlier this summer, the creature-collecting RPG Aniimo got a new trailer showing off more of its whimsical monsters. That includes a majestic space whale. Aniimo launches in 2026. Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Treyarch announced new multiplayer maps set in the Land of the Rising Sun for its upcoming Black Ops 7. The maps include the urban sprawl of 2035 Tokyo and Den, set in the rural countryside near a castle. Double Dragon Revive In addition to its main campaign, the upcoming co-op brawler features a 50-mission Challenge Mode. Clearing them unlocked character episodes to add more narrative perspectives. Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake The upcoming remake of the first two Dragon Quest games is getting a brand new area: the ocean floor. A trailer shows players traversing its salty depths to find the fallen underwater town of Mersea, which holds a mystery about its past. Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Remake Announced during this month’s Nintendo Direct, the remake of the 2003 PS2 horror classic made another appearance in a new developer diary. Fatal Frame series director Makoto Shibata discussed the game’s graphical and audio improvements and evolved Camera Obscura gameplay. Forza Horizon 6 The next Horizon game is coming in 2026 and takes players to Japan. So far, we know the open-world racer. Although developer Playground Games won’t be revealing gameplay until early next year, it does (unsurprisingly) tease Tokyo and the countryside surrounding Mt. Fuji as some of the many locations players will cruise through. The game’s roster of cars will also highlight Japanese car culture. Forza Horizon 6 launches next year for Xbox Series X/S and PC via Windows and Steam. The game will also come to PlayStation 5 sometime post-launch. Gungrave G.O.R.E Blood Heat Despite Gungrave G.O.R.E. releasing in 2022, it’s getting a full Unreal Engine 5 remake. Blood Heat features revamped combat, redesigned enemy encounters, and other revisions to level design, player interactions, and other systems. Gungrave G.O.R.E. Blood Heat is coming to PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC, and has no release window. Hitman: World of Assassination Agent 47 is teaming up with an unlikely but powerful ally: Bruce Lee. The legendary martial artist/actor is an Agent helping 47 infiltrate an international martial arts tournament at the Himmapan Hotel in Bangkok, which secretly holds meetings for the Concord Union. Agent Lee must win the tournament to face Union’s elusive leader, Dragon Head. This new elusive target mission arrives for free starting September 25 and runs until November 20. Hotel Barcelona Ahead of its release tomorrow, Hidetaka “Swery” Suehiro and Goichi “Suda51” Suda revealed the multiplayer modes for their roguelike action game, Hotel Barcelona. The game supports 3-player co-op and has a PvP invasion system where players control copies of themselves to sabotage their runs. Microsoft Flight Simulator Following the news that Flight Simulator 2024 is coming to PlayStation 5, Xbox has released the free World Update 20 that lets players take flight over Japan. The update adds 23 new photogrammetry areas covering over 20,000 square kilometers of the country, featuring numerous landmarks. A new aircraft is also coming in the form of the Japanese Nihon Aircraft Manufacturing Corporation (NAMC) YS-11. World Update 20: Japan is available now for Flight Simulator 2020 and 2024, while the NAMC-YS-11 costs $19.99. Mistfall Hunter A new map was unveiled for the upcoming fantasy action extraction game called Solemn Needles. Set in a sacred forest housing a powerful relic, it will launch alongside the game later this year. Monster Hunter Stories In addition to next year’s Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection, Capcom announced that the first two games, Monster Hunter Stories and Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin, are coming to Xbox on November 14. Ninja Gaiden 4 PlatinumGames and Team Ninja discussed Ninja Gaiden 4’s difficulty design in a new developer video. The studios also unveiled a new training mode, a series first, that will allow players to improve their skills to tackle the game’s tough challenges. Project Evilbane This four-player co-op action RPG got a new trailer showing off its fantastical, stylish action. Project Evilbane arrives during the second half of 2026. Rhythm Doctor On Call After coming together in Steam Early Access since 2021, this quirky rhythm game starring doctors who heal patients timing a defibrillator to their heartbeats, comes to Xbox in 1.0 form on December 6. Romancing Saga 2: Revenge of the Seven This 2024 remake of Romancing Saga 2 makes it Xbox debut, and owners can play the game starting…today! Starsand Island This whimsical upcoming life sim got its first CG trailer while teasing its multiplayer features. Sudden Strike 5
The fifth entry in the World War II strategy series got a new trailer. Look for the game to release next year. Terminull Bridage The stylish free-to-play looter shooter is coming to Xbox Series X/S on October 31 and got a new trailer teasing a crossover with Neon Genesis Evangelion. Winter Burrow This cozy survival game stars a young city mouse who, after returning to the wilds, must endure a harsh winter. Cooking, wood cutting, and other survival activities help keep the mouse warm and fed while braving the forest. We’ve had our eye on Winter Burrow since it’s reveal last year, and it’s launching on November 12.
Sep 25
Atelier Resleriana: The Red Alchemist & the White Guardian Review
Something Old, Something New
While I'd played the Atelier series only sporadically over the past decades, binging the Atelier Ryza trilogy last year is what fully cemented my love of this long-running series. Atelier Yumia was a fun game to play earlier this year, but it was definitely a unique flavor of Atelier game with its open world and action combat. With Atelier Resleriana: The Red Alchemist & the White Guardian , Gust has returned to its roots with a title that feels like a perfect blend of the older Atelier games with many modern features. The game looks and plays amazing, boasting a heartfelt story, excellent new game mechanics, and an engaging battle system.
The opening of Atelier Resleriana introduces players to dual protagonists Rias Eidreise and Slade Clauslyter. Both share heartbreaking memories of a tragedy that befell their hometown of Hallfein twelve years prior. The entire population disappeared in a sea of red mist, leaving only monsters in their wake. Rias lost her grandfather, who had basically raised her and was a local shop merchant loved by all who visited from miles around. Slade lost his parents, who left behind powerful relics for him, the mysterious Geist Cores. On their first mission together, Rias and Slade discover an abandoned atelier and learn that the Geist Cores can open Dimensional Pathways that lead them through procedurally generated dungeons to lands far from their hometown. In the Dimensional Pathways, the duo encounters tiny flying figures called fairies, which can be recruited to help with multiple game systems described below. With the fairies' help and a team of alchemists and party members from previous Atelier games, Rias and Slade unravel the truth of what transpired a dozen years prior while rebuilding their hometown in the process.
The story is immediately engaging and fascinating in Atelier Resleriana . Rias and Slade share so many heartfelt scenes throughout the narrative that show they are still deeply affected by the devastating events of their childhood. The impact of what they discuss and hope to accomplish is quite touching, missing only some English voice acting to further amplify the gravitas of their mission. As they work to restore their hometown, now under the governance of Rias's sister, Camilla, they are joined by various alchemists and party members from previous Atelier games. These characters, all called Wanderers, have stumbled through convenient plot points to appear in Rias's world. Some join the party as playable characters, while most simply stay in town and provide side quests and support via Star Landing, the home of the Hallfein Restoration Project. The story plays out in a breezy adventure of less than 40 hours, and while the ending is satisfying enough, there are definitely doors left open for this game to have a sequel or two, a habit Gust has recently adopted with the Ryza trilogy and Sophie 2 .
[caption id="attachment_176900" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Is it time to rest, or is there no time to rest? So confusing![/caption]
Gust went to full action combat in Atelier Yumia after skirting the action-turn-based line in the Ryza trilogy; however, Atelier fully returns to its roots in Resleriana with a completely turn-based battle system. There is a fun bit of flair in the ability to hold a button to partially block attacks, with more precise blocking greatly reducing the damage taken. For players who do not wish to engage with this feature, they can turn on auto-blocking via the game's menu, though precise blocking will not be available. As the party grows in Atelier Resleriana , multiple excellent battle features open up, making the combat so much more than just another turn-based system. Each turn, players can choose for the characters to use powerful alchemy items, do a standard attack, or expend TP to use a skill. Everything has one of seven elemental or physical properties to it and enemies can be strong against, weak to, or neutral to them. Turn order is clearly shown to the right of the combat screen, and various random buffs and debuffs can be seen coming there as well. Players can use interrupt commands and the Unity system to affect turn order, ensuring their party receives the buffs and enemies receive the debuffs.
The Unity system is where the battle system in the game truly shines. All attacks charge the Unity gauge, and players can choose to expend part of that gauge to perform multiple attacks. For the most part, this simply allows players to take multiple turns at once, with either two or three characters attacking simultaneously. The real magic occurs, though, when players find the right combination of skills or items that trigger additional effects. Item Mix is activated when specific complementary or paired items are used in order. Ice and lightning bombs used one after another might not only both hit but also cause an additional powerful attack that can easily double the total damage of each bomb. Similarly, player skills such as a wind tornado and fireball might ignite a third fire tornado after the individual skills hit, which does massive damage. A great deal of fun can be had by playing around with placing party members in the front or back line to manipulate when Unity attacks become available. Once players learn what works well, even some higher-level overworld encounters can be finished in a single well-planned combat turn. The stunning, bright visuals of the battle system only highlight the satisfaction of pulling off these attacks, and while the battle animations might seem to drag for some players, battle speed can be increased rapidly at the touch of a button.
[caption id="attachment_176901" align="aligncenter" width="640"] The battle system has multiple great features and just looks spectacular.[/caption]
To pair with an excellent battle system, the alchemy mechanics in Atelier Resleriana are another standout feature. Alchemy in this game is all based on matching colors. Every item in the game has a left and right attribute color. Ingredients also convey special traits to items formed during alchemy, such as increased attack power, better defense, or increased lightning damage, for example. Each time a player creates an item via alchemy, they proceed through two phases of mixing. The initial phase requires players to place three to four materials together. Without those first ingredients, items cannot be formed. Linking colors in this phase can imbue stat-boosting traits and raise the level of the item. The second phase of alchemy is virtually identical but completely optional. Color linking in this phase can not only increase the item count for materials or the number of uses for combat items, but can also imbue more traits. Caution is warranted at this point because only the three most recently added traits will remain, with older traits being overwritten. Players who do not wish to remove powerful traits can choose not to link colors, or they can try to match similar traits together to imbue more powerful combined traits.
The second phase of alchemy is also where players can unlock new recipes. Each item has a progression tree, and when certain materials are obtained, players can see what needs to be added to their base item to morph it into something new. For example, adding in a specific ice item during the creation of a bomb will change it into a more powerful ice bomb as long as the colors between the ingredients are all matched. If this all sounds like a lot, it is, but the game rolls out all these systems slowly throughout the game. The alchemy systems are wonderfully paced, so that just as players become more confident engaging with what's available, something new opens up. Players eventually unlock the ability to clone items they have and enhance items they've created with the help of both fairies' and party members' skills. A great deal of money is required to use these alchemy shortcuts, though, but that can be obtained through one of the two new gameplay features Atelier Resleriana offers.
[caption id="attachment_176899" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Color-matching ingredients while performing alchemy enhances items' effects and imbues customizable traits.[/caption]
Central to the plot of Atelier Resleriana is the restoration of Hallfein. Rias's sister, Camilla, is in charge of the effort, which requires a great deal of money for improvements, along with the collection of plenty of items created via alchemy. The five districts of the city can be leveled individually by speaking with Camilla. The upgrades not only change the appearance of the town but also allow merchants in each area to offer more supplies or even books of alchemy recipes. To afford both the valuable books and the improvements themselves, Rias has inherited her grandfather's store. At the shop, Rias can sell up to nine items in each cycle. Items are placed on a bookcase, and similar to the alchemy system, matching colors offers benefits when selling. Rias can sell collected ingredients for small amounts of money or items created through alchemy for much more. In fact, once item duplication opens up, a great number of created items sell for far more than they cost to create. Large amounts of funds can be had by finding such items, lining them up appropriately on the sales shelves, and then letting the right fairies manage the shop. After a couple of sales rounds, though, the fairies grow tired, and it is time for Rias and her party to venture out and continue their adventure, leaving the fairies time to recharge.
If this was all the game offered, it would still be a well-rounded Atelier offering. A key aspect of many games in the series is building relationships with NPCs around town, and this game has plenty of that! There are dozens of people for Rias and Slade to interact with, and hours of fun can be had listening to them share their hopes, dreams, and worries about the town and the wider world. Wandering alchemists and characters from past Atelier games are passing through Hallfein, and it's well worth a player's time to get to know them and accept their side quest requests. Once players complete a quest or two from them, these characters can be recruited to gather rare alchemic materials not obtainable in any other way. These characters will also point the party to strong monster encounters. Defeating those monsters in turn increases their friendship level and allows them to find even more rare items. It's an enjoyable side quest loop that runs in parallel to the normal gameplay loop and allows for the creation of some of the best items and equipment in the game. While this gameplay element is not entirely necessary to engage with, it is highly recommended that players do so.
[caption id="attachment_176905" align="aligncenter" width="640"] The interior of Rias's atelier is one of most visually stunning ones in the series.[/caption]
Atelier Resleriana not only looks amazing but also uses its visuals to beautifully mirror the progression of the main plot. The magical Dimensional Pathways have an ethereal charm, while the overworld sections look exactly as one would expect fields, forests, mines, and volcanic regions to look. The town of Hallfein, however, is where the game's visuals truly shine. At the start, the town looks sparsely populated and mostly abandoned, with bare gray stone exteriors and little decor. As the story progresses and players complete restoration goals, the city undergoes a fantastic transformation. By the end of the narrative, colorful lights and banners are strung around town, and signs of habitation and splashes of color can be seen all around. Along with the wonderfully animated familiar monsters and the large number of carefully crafted series characters, everything looks so alive and vividly colored. Kudos to the development team for including text size options as well as a color filter setting to accommodate those with differing visual needs. Likewise, there are plenty of audio settings for players to spend time customizing. Players can create their own in-game playlists for each location so the same song doesn't loop continuously. There are many excellent tracks to explore, and setting a playlist of personal favorites is a fun way to hear the best ones more frequently. The final boss theme, for example, doesn't have to be experienced only once.
Finally, a few other things about Atelier Resleriana are worth noting. While the game is most often well balanced in its gameplay loop, there were a couple of times where progression ground to a halt when specific treasure chests hadn't been opened to provide alchemy recipes needed to advance the town levels. Locking progression behind out-of-the-way, corner-of-the-map exploration wasn't ideal, but at least everything was clearly visible on the provided mini-maps. As stated before, many alchemists and characters from previous games appear in this title. It is not at all necessary to have experienced their previous games to enjoy their presence. They are all here to support Rias, and anything they bring up is either just flavor text callbacks or is directly related to the central plot. New players won't be missing out on anything except a bit of nostalgia. Additionally, this Switch version of the game was tested on both the OLED Switch model and a Switch 2. The game played excellently on both, with really only two understandable, noticeable differences: load times between areas were faster on the Switch 2, and some slight slowdown was noted on the OLED during intense sped-up battle animations. Other than that, performance was nearly identical.
If it isn't already clear enough by this point, Atelier Resleria is an excellent RPG. From battle system to alchemy to multiple other subsystems, everything seemed superbly planned and polished. No previous experience with the Atelier series is necessary to enjoy all this game has to offer, but returning fans will receive plenty of nostalgic dopamine hits. This is a game that shows how a familiar series can be both welcoming to newcomers and deeply rewarding for long-time fans. The developers have successfully crafted a title that honors its legacy while forging a new, promising path forward.
Disclosure: This review is based on a free copy of the game provided by the publisher.
The post Atelier Resleriana: The Red Alchemist & the White Guardian Review appeared first on RPGamer .
Sep 25
“FROM THE ASHES” – A NEW EXPANSION FOR AVATAR: FRONTIERS OF PANDORA TO BE RELEASED ON 19 DECEMBERExperience the Next Chapter in the Kinglor Forest and a Brand-New Area Inspired by Avatar: Fire and Ash™., with Enhanced Immersion via Third-Person Gameplay SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA—24 September 2025— Today, Ubisoft announced “From the Ashes”, an action-adventure expansion to Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora™. The expansion will be available on 19 December on Ubisoft+, PlayStation®5, Xbox Series […]
The post “FROM THE ASHES” – A NEW EXPANSION FOR AVATAR: FRONTIERS OF PANDORA TO BE RELEASED ON 19 DECEMBER appeared first on Capsule Computers .
Sep 24
Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion Review
A Titanic Fumble
Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion wastes no time in getting the player right into the action, even if it means the player will be confused for much of the opening hours. The game follows a fully voiced and customizable protagonist who is saved by their friend, Nerve, from an experiment by the Sovereign Axiom to turn them into a biological weapon called a Centurion. The Sovereign Axiom is an organization of Outers, an offshoot of humanity enhanced by Femto, a substance with multiple applications throughout the world of Daemon X Machina . Nerve and the player then make their escape from the Garden, an orbital station above a post-apocalyptic, war torn world, with Nerve sacrificing himself to send the player down to the planet below. The player is taken in by the Reclaimers, a rebel group of Humans who oppose the oppression of the Sovereign Axiom. This begins an action-packed adventure of rebellion, twists, turns, anime-style mech fighting, and narrative flourishes, with a story that juggles too many things haphazardly for its own good. It's a package that fails to meet the quality standards recommended for a premium-price game.
In a bold move, Titanic Scion ditches the larger mechs of the previous game for smaller, human-sized ones that act more like exosuits than vehicular weapons. To the game’s credit, this allows for animations to feel incredibly natural with fun flourishes and details, and enables non-mech characters to utilize unique effects without feeling too small. The combat animation quality for the player is definitely the highlight of the game's presentation, one that paints a stark contrast to the rest of the game. While the art direction can be interesting at times, the world and characters fit an extremely by-the-numbers anime post-apocalyptic society. But even when the game shows some personality, the visuals themselves are so blocky and low-res that nothing sticks out.
The game is split up into three large areas to explore: a desert, a forest, and a mountain range. Unfortunately, the desert is so devoid of color that more often than not it comes off as garish and uninteresting. The forest and mountain range are somewhat more colorful, but both of them have so much foliage that it becomes difficult to tell them apart visually. Cutscenes also suffer from a lack of fidelity. While the small number of choreographed action scenes are fun, most of the cutscenes involve characters standing around and talking. While not a big sin in and of itself, the animations of the character models leave a lot to be desired, and the jagged, stiff facial animations are the biggest offenders.
[caption id="attachment_166837" align="alignnone" width="640"] A big win is being able to choose between a dog and a cat to inhabit the base.[/caption]
Gameplay and systems are going to be the sticking point for most in a game of this type, and the bones of the combat are certainly there. Titanic Scion boasts a staggering amount of weapon types and build customization, to the point that players might discover their favorite weapon type later into their playthrough than most would expect. Each weapon type, long or short range, feels unique, and the ability to equip four main weapons, a shoulder weapon, and a throwable grenade allows for immense customization. Swords and other melee weapons offer a satisfying crunch with every hit, while the damage numbers and visual effects of long range weapons do a good job of separating gun types from each other. The only weapon type that feels out of place is bows. Using them snaps the player to an over-the-shoulder view that has to be canceled out of with a button press, and movement in this view is incredibly restrictive. Bows are the only weapon type to do this, which can be disorienting for those who haven't spent time getting used to it. Shoulder weapons typically require the player to hold down the button until the target is registered before releasing, but a lack of visual feedback on when the conditions for firing are met means it's far more consistent to equip a shoulder weapon that heals instead.
Unfortunately, the game's movement and camera hold the combat back quite a bit. Movement comes in two flavors: painfully slow or way too fast. Normal walk and float speeds are so slow that it is tempting to use the dash, which will then result in the player completely overshooting their mark, resulting in melee-centric players resorting to using an attack so they can snap to their target. Bigger problems come when some enemies and one particularly annoying boss disappear from view and cannot be locked onto, which also disables the player's melee weapons snapping on them. The weapon still lunges forward, but without a target it becomes incredibly likely to completely whiff even if the player has every visual indication that they are right next to the enemy. The camera is even a problem with massive targets, as the camera fails to pull out or do anything to accommodate the massive size of the enemy, resulting in close combat being a visual mess most of the time.
[caption id="attachment_166835" align="alignnone" width="640"] This boss specifically caused some camera issues.[/caption]
Combat and customization aren't the only elements of Titanic Scion 's gameplay. The game's open world structure effectively mandates a large collection of sidequests and activities. Side missions range from standard fetch quests, escort missions, side stories, or even just meeting certain equipment conditions. The game further boasts a coliseum with a ranking system, an in-game trading card game complete with collectible cards, and more. The problem is that the game rarely properly incentivizes actually engaging with these systems, because the main story never guides the player towards these in a meaningful way, so players engaging and enjoying these systems is entirely contingent on whether or not they enjoy the core gameplay and want to experience more.
Unfortunately, the game's technical state leaves much to be desired. On a base PlayStation 5, stuttering abounds at the most random times, especially when travelling large distances in the open world. Loading times are also extremely long, especially for a game with such poor visual fidelity at times. Worse still is the fact that every time the player loads into an area, they risk being locked in a loading elevator (independent of the actual loading screen) for an extended period of time. While this isn't exactly an infinite loading glitch, it does kill pacing and turns side content into more of a chore than it should be.
On the topic of the main story, even at the best of times it is still a complete mess. The game's disappointing presentational quality aside, the actual plot is a collection of interesting ideas and concepts given absolutely no time to be developed properly. Every two missions there seems to be a major twist that theoretically upends the entire story, but none of these twists seem to change the characters' perspectives or actions much. Major events will happen back-to-back-to-back, but then the player will suddenly be sent on an errand to collect materials to unlock a new combat or gameplay feature, bringing the pacing to a complete halt for no reason. Several instances will occur where characters will mention a concept that was never addressed before, which will leave many just confused because it never gets proper execution or explanation. The narrative also doesn't seem to have a grasp of its own themes, as it is constantly picking and choosing themes to evoke for certain narrative beats rather than weaving them together naturally. One moment the game will be about oppressors versus the oppressed, the next it will be about what it means to be human, before suddenly veering into a war story, the list goes on. It's a real shame too, because the ideas presented, while certainly cliche in areas, are interesting. But the execution of these ideas is so poor that the narrative easily becomes the game's weakest element.
[caption id="attachment_166836" align="alignnone" width="640"] An example of the low visual fidelity not aiding the game's art direction.[/caption]
That said, what does shine is the voice acting. Several prominent video game and anime voice actors, such as Damien Haas as Nerve and Mela Lee as Hex, are present and all of them elevate the dialogue into enjoyable campiness rather than just boring word soup. Special mention must go to Paul Castro Jr. for his performance as Ash, who, by all accounts, should be easily the most annoying character in the game by a long shot. He's constantly berating the player, he's never shown to be competent, and is just all around a pretty miserable character on paper. Castro Jr. elevates this by going completely overboard on almost every line delivery, transforming Ash from a boring jerk to the angriest, loudest, goofiest character of every scene. While this doesn't change anything about the story, it does go to highlight that a good performance can go a long way in making a character palatable. The soundtrack is another example of this, as the music does an excellent job of shaping Titanic Scion 's identity with a metal-infused symphonic sound that is at once familiar and unique. It's a shame that the soundtrack does feel limited in scope when it comes to enemy encounters, with only a few bosses having memorable, unique themes.
Ultimately, Daemon X Machina: Titantic Scion is difficult to recommend. While the bones of combat and customization are well executed, the open world element feels tacked on to an abysmal main narrative, and technical issues hold the game back even further. While these things are forgivable on their own, the full launch price tag feels extremely steep for such an underbaked game that has paid DLC customization options on top of it. Those who enjoy the mech-fighting genre will certainly find something to enjoy here, but others will find a game that feels incredibly undercooked.
Disclosure: This review is based on a free copy of the game provided by the publisher.
The post Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion Review appeared first on RPGamer .
Sep 19
Review: Hyke: Northern Light(s) Sends Us on a Witch Road Trip
Can an action RPG about cutting and blasting through waves of mutated enemies in a dilapidated world after an apocalypse be cozy and relaxing? Hyke: Northern Light(s) certainly makes it seem possible. It’s a beautiful road trip through a dilapidated, pixel art world with adorable witch characters who happen to have enough power to just annihilate anything in their path. It definitely feels unique, even if the actual combat can get a bit clumsy.
Hyke: Northern Light(s) begins with a peek at life before the war destroyed things. We see a woman, revealed to be Hyke’s mother, fighting against human enemies. She’s a witch, and she’s making a final push to reach the captain of the forces. Once she does, things fade away and we meet Hyke, her daughter who she loved and was fighting for. Now that Hyke’s grown, she’s headed out into the world in the car her father left her in search of her mother alongside Riko, another witch she met on her journey. The path they tread means they, as well as the player, will learn more about the current state of the world, the war, witches, and Hyke’s mom.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WV8ZIVDO3hc
To start, I adore the character design in Hyke: Northern Light(s) . Every ally and enemy looks incredible. Especially considering the size of the sprites for them. They actually match the elaborate character designs shown on the official site, which is amazing. They also tend to have some cute personalities, even if people aren’t always well fleshed out as I’d like. But then, the camp scenes do help with that a bit.
When Hyke: Northern Light(s) begins, we have access to Hyke and her friend Riko. However, as the two travel across the country, additional characters join our party. Each one plays in her own way and has different types of movesets and specialties. For example, Hyke has ranged attacks, as well as a special that circles around her, as the game starts. Riko is more of a close-range melee user who swaps between a glass cannon, faster approach that heals with each hit and a giant rabbit transformation that lumbers around and hits harder. We can switch between them, as well as other characters in the party, on the fly. When outside of stages, we can upgrade their abilities. Not to mention before heading into a location, we can cook a meal for a buff and choose one random buff to apply to that outing. People feel unique, which I appreciate.
Screenshots by Siliconera
I just wish Hyke: Northern Light(s) gameplay felt tighter. We have an option to manually control these heroines or tap a button to lock on to targets. However, neither feels competent enough to make the combat feel good. If you don’t bother with the locking on option, getting the positioning right to hit foes and close distances with attacks is imprecise. If the lock-on option is enabled, the game randomly picks who to attack and, while those hits land, I felt like more powerful hits were wasted.
Especially since enemies do get more powerful in what can feel like a satisfying way as we reach new areas. When Hyke first heads into the forest on her own for the very first stage, there are only small, squirrel or bug-size enemies and an occasional deer. But then we see larger opponents that can deal major ranged damage, have more unexpected movesets, or even look really cool like a mutated giant spider that makes a car into its exoskeleton.
Images via Aniplex
Aside from both the character and enemy designs looking great, there’s honestly some fun and visually intriguing stage design at play here too. When we happen upon inhabited areas, they look like they’ve been through it. The camp ground customization involves some cute accessories. Food looks good. I appreciate there’s a journal we can look through to see the pixel art more closely. When we reach new areas, each new stage doesn’t always feel like a rehash or slightly different take on the previous one, as there’s a sense of progression involving a change to the environment, more hints about the war, and also areas affected by possible magic and otherworldly elements. I don’t want to spoil things, but there are also some environmental aspects that affect progression, with the first forested area involving some one-way “gates” and poisonous polluted spots.
I love the ambiance surrounding Hyke: Northern Light(s), as well as the witch character designs. It’s a beautiful game, for sure, and sometimes it can even feel cozy. I just wish it felt a bit more responsive when playing. The different movesets for each character are great! But sometimes, the execution doesn’t make it feel as tight and precise as it could be.
Hyke: Northern Light(s) is available for the Switch, PS5, and PC .
The post Review: Hyke: Northern Light(s) Sends Us on a Witch Road Trip appeared first on Siliconera .
Sep 18
Class of Heroes 3 Remaster – ReviewLast year, PQube brought the classic dungeon-crawling series Class of Heroes to modern platforms with Class of Heroes: Anniversary Edition and Class of Heroes 2G: Remaster Edition. The return of these games marked the end of a decade-long absence of the series, but there was still a major elephant in the room: Class of Heroes 3. While that game saw some success on the PSP in Japan, it never made it over to the West. A localized release was planned for PS3 in 2018, but ultimately ended up being cancelled. With the arrival of Class of Heroes 3 Remaster, fans of the series can finally discover what they’ve been missing out on. If you’re anything like us, however, you might be unfamiliar with the series in general, although we did play the spinoff game Adventure Academia. Is Class of Heroes 3 Remaster a good entry point for newcomers, or is this the kind of title that just preaches to the choir? Story Technically speaking, Class of Heroes 3 does have a story, but it’s paper-thin and serves as little more than a barebones framework for the game’s dungeon-crawling action. The premise is that you are a student at a school for heroes. There are three schools to choose from, but it doesn’t really matter which one you pick, as the narrative will play out in the same way regardless, and the cast of characters is forgettable and interchangeable. Things start out normal enough, with you and a group of students taking on quests from teachers and faculty, until you’re eventually drawn into a larger conflict with an apocalyptic evil that the school forgot to mention upfront. It’s your typical good-vs-evil story with no real depth. With the cast embodying stereotypical anime tropes and showing no character growth, it’s difficult to really care about what happens to them. To make matters worse, the story doesn’t adapt to the in-game relationship system or your party’s dynamics, with links between characters being a purely mechanical element, not a narrative one. Graphics The bright, anime-style visuals are perhaps the most appealing aspect of Class of Heroes 3. While the students embody a wide variety of fantasy races, including Elves and Halflings, their designs don’t necessarily match the way they are typically depicted. Dwarves, for example, don’t look like they do in The Lord of the Rings here, but are anthropomorphic animals instead. Character portraits are distinct and charming, and there is a limited opportunity to customize your self-inserted student. There is also a wide visual variety when it comes to the dungeon environments, with forests, deserts, and ruins all making an appearance. That said, the word “Remaster” in the title does a lot of heavy lifting here, with the game’s roots as a PSP title being very much visible when it comes to the game’s graphics. Everything that isn’t a 2D illustration looks dated, with dungeons suffering from low-res textures and a surprisingly shoddy framerate. Attack animation effects are underwhelming, and portraits are unsurprisingly very static, both in combat and in story scenes. Sound The way Class of Heroes 3 embraces tropey characters is pushed even further with the game’s voice acting. The game only offers Japanese voice acting, and even then, it isn’t fully voiced. The voice cast leans heavily into the one-dimensional personalities of the characters, with exaggerated, hammy performances. Contrasting this is the game’s soundtrack. While the music is varied and fits the different scenes and environments, it isn’t exactly memorable, serving as little more than functional background noise. At least it doesn’t get repetitive over time. Sound effects and ambience are mostly serviceable and don’t stand out either. Gameplay Like its predecessors, Class of Heroes 3 is a first-person dungeon crawler JRPG, in the same vein as the Etrian Odyssey games. The game’s hero-training school setting ties into the gameplay: tutorials are disguised as classes that you attend, and the school itself acts as a hub area where you can manage your party, use alchemy, and spend your earnings in shops. From the school, you set out to labyrinthian dungeons, where you explore, fight monsters, and grind for loot and XP. Upon completing a dungeon, you return to the school, upgrade your party, and then set out on the next quest. Your dungeon-crawling party can contain up to six characters. With a wide variety of races and classes at your disposal, this gives you a ton of different options to explore and strategies to try out in the game’s turn-based battles. On top of this, you create a web of relationships between characters, deciding who likes or dislikes each other. This affects synergy attacks, buffs, and debuffs in battle. It’s a neat idea in theory, although as we mentioned earlier, it doesn’t tie into the narrative aspects of the game, and could’ve used more depth. Battles involve setting different commands, including attack and magic, and then watching everything resolve. With enemies appearing in rows of up to 18, and no way to automate or speed up battles, fights are lengthy and repetitive affairs, however. It doesn’t help that dungeon exploration is a tedious affair too. Early-game dungeons are simple enough, but later ones are larger and more complex, with traps and hidden tricks. Initially, there is no minimap to refer to, and you’ll need to unlock it, which adds more frustration. Add in severe difficulty spikes that require hours of grinding to overcome, and the result is something that simply isn’t fun to play. Everything about Class of Heroes 3’s core gameplay design feels archaic. While this will probably appeal to a niche of hardcore old-school dungeon-crawling fans, this approach will be a turn-off for most players. On paper, Class of Heroes 3 offers an incredibly generous package in terms of content, with three different schools, tons of classes, and a wide variety of unlockables. Each school route takes around 40 hours to complete, adding up to well over 100 hours of content if you engage with everything. However, said content is so dense and grind-heavy that unless you are in the very specific niche that Class of Heroes 3 targets, you simply won’t get your €29.99 worth of enjoyment out of it. Conclusion It’s safe to say that Class of Heroes 3 didn’t convince us of the series’ merit. This is a niche title for a very specific audience. To its credit, the game very much sticks to its design roots as a mid-2010s PSP title, but over the last decade, audience expectations have evolved. Fans of yesteryear’s dungeon-crawling experience will find a dense, punishing playground here, but anyone looking for a more modern, streamlined experience is better off elsewhere.
Sep 18
Bone Lake Opening Scene Reveals Naked Couple Trying to Survive in Vacation Gone Wrong
After opening to revered reviews at the Fantastic Fest Film Festival last year, Bone Lake is arriving in theatres this fall, and the opening for the erotic thriller has now been unveiled. The opening features a n-ked couple frantically running through the forest before getting hunted down. The man decides to run for his life […]
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Sep 17
The ForestAs the lone survivor of a passenger jet crash, you find yourself in a mysterious forest battling to stay alive against a society of cannibalistic mutants. Build, explore, survive in this terrifying first person survival horror simulator.
